Optical phased array receivers are used in detecting light arriving from a given direction. Optical phased array transmitters are used in shaping and steering a narrow, low-divergence, beam of light over a relatively wide angle. An integrated optical phased array photonics chip often includes a number of components such as lasers, photodiodes, optical modulators, optical interconnects, transmitters and receivers.
Optical phased arrays have been used in 3D imaging, mapping, ranging remote sensing, actuation projection system, data communication, and other emerging technologies such as autonomous cars and drone navigation. A need continues to exist for improvements to optical phased arrays.